Sesshomaru's Off Day Dinners
by Kaoruhana
Summary: Kagome hates cooking. So naturally when Sango invites her to dinner at Sesshomaru's on his off night from the restaurant she accepts the invitation and all the ones that follow. Originally written for a challenge.
1. The First Dinner

Kagome hated cooking- she really wasn't the biggest fan of it so it was no wonder that when Sango invited her over to a friend's mutual dinner party as a guest she latched on to it. The young raven haired woman was never one to refuse an offer of free food and she was known among her friends as the one who always knew of food festivals or restaurant deals. She liked food- in fact she loved it and was an avid food lover and critic but the mere thought of cooking on a stove managed to make her cringe. No one understood where her aversion to cooking came from, her mother was a brilliant cook, her brother was an aspiring chef in Osaka, and her father had owned a bakery. One would think that she of all people would follow in their footsteps. But she hadn't; instead Kagome had been drawn to journalism. She worked for a local magazine as the women's fashion editor/ journalist. It was a small company but was read by enough people to make it a decent job and was endorsed by some of the leading celebrities. In fact, one of the leading actresses in Japan had even admitted that she read Kagome's column every week to see if her wardrobe matched the street fashion Kagome talked about. As a result, Kagome was paid quite handsomely since her company could afford it, and she lived a comfortable life in Tokyo. However, today, she was not the confident woman she had been earlier at her job. As she looked at the closet in front of her, she worried her bottom lip trying to pair outfits together until she pulled out two that suited her tastes.

Sango's friend- the friend whose dinner she had been invited to- was apparently a good cook who worked in a restaurant in the Roppongi Hills area. This meant that he wasn't just good, he was really really good. Real estate in that area came not only with a hefty price tag but with a hefty expectation as well. So, on this particular Monday night as Kagome got ready to go to dinner she suddenly found herself facing a dilemma. When she got there what would she do? Should she bring something to dinner? Was Sango's friend okay with her being a dinner guest? She pulled out a loose flowing teal tunic and slipped it on before pulling a muted gray scarf and slipping it around her neck; straight leg black jeans and silver flats topped off the ensemble. Taking a look at her reflection in the mirror she did a double-check of her outfit. The dull colors- a true testament of what to wear in the winter- were warmed by the touch of silver and teal. A pair of silver leaf earrings added a touch of exotic and color which was just enough to make a good presentation. Her outfit looked dressy while still managing to add a touch of casual. Pleased, she picked up her phone and scanned through the text messages until she saw the one Sango had given her. Her friend wanted Kagome to meet her at the Asaka Line interchange in twenty minutes so that the two of them could then walk to dinner together. Grabbing her coat and bag of essentials- extra everything from make-up to bandaids to hair ties- Kagome locked her door and headed out to catch the subway train that would take her to Sango.

Twenty minutes later Kagome stood close to wall of the Asaka Line Interchanges' Platform trying to spot the familiar face of her friend. She had her phone in hand just in case she couldn't find Sango as well. A train rushed by and people milled out but Kagome continued to look towards the crowd. Finally, she spotted her friend a little ways down looking in the opposite direction from where she was standing. Texting her quickly she waited until Sango saw her and then waved. Soon, both friends were finally reunited.

"Kagome!" Sango greeted. "How has your day been?"

"The same as usual. I really wish Aya Kinomoto would stop endorsing me. If I didn't use a pen name I'm sure I'd be stalked!" Sango laughed but shook her head leading her out the station and onto the street. She guided them to the right before speaking again.

"Do you mind if we stop at a liquor shop nearby? Sesshomaru asked me to bring wine though I'm not sure what kind he wants me to bring." Kagome knew what her friend was implying. Coming from a family of chefs and cooking experts she knew quite a bit about how to pair foods and drinks. So she understood that Sango's statement was more a request: she wanted Kagome to suggest a wine for dinner.

"What is he making?" She asked casually as Sango turned into a store. Judging by the reception Sango received this wasn't her friends first time in the liquor store.

"He's making salmon filets and an arugula endive salad. He said not to bother with the dessert wine because he has it covered so that just leaves you two dishes to pair up." Normally, Kagome was frugal- she bought one bottle of wine and used it for most of a dinner. However, in this case, she knew that only five people were coming to dinner and that Sesshomaru was a renowned chef. As a result, she supposed two wines that were light, airy, and paired well with the food worked.

"Get an Australian Sauvignon Blanc for the salad-if you can't find an Australian version, let's just stick to the French. And grab a Chardonnay for the salmon- try the California kind first- it has a citrusy taste that would pair well with the dish. If there's no California one, try the Candian one."

"I'll grab the Chardonany- you take the Sauvingon?" Kagome nodded and the two women bought the wine quickly before heading back out towards their dinner outing.

Sango led them five blocks down to a modest middle-class apartment building. It had a doorman who bid them hello which intrigued Kagome. She didn't hear much of doorman's still in buildings but she thought the idea of one was still interesting. She followed Sango as they took the elevator to the eighth floor and got out before turning right down a corridor and knocking on the door to the second apartment on the right. It opened moments later to reveal a handsome young man who eagerly let them in.

"Sango my dear, it's been a while since I've seen you." The man was wearing a deep purple shirt over jeans and had black hair that was looped off in a tiny ponytail. She noticed walking in that this man wasn't the one cooking- there was someone else in the kitchen who she heard. And she also quickly learned that the fifth dinner guest was not at all someone she suspected- a teenager who was sitting on the sofa and idly entertaining herself with her phone. Sango's voice brought Kagome's attention back to the man she was being introduced to.

"Miroku," Sango greeted, "How are you? Let me introduce you to my friend Kagome." Sango pulled Kagome forward and Miroku gave her a disarming smile as he kissed her hand softly.

"Nice to meet you Kagome. If I wasn't already smitten over your friend I would find myself chasing you." Kagome shook her head with a laugh. Miroku it seemed was the lecher who worked with Sango and had introduced her to the cooking friend. Shaking her head, she took her hand back and decided to entertain herself with the girl on the sofa while the two caught up and flirted. . Kagome had to admit that she found the plight of the girl understandable- her brother had probably kicked her out of the kitchen much like her own brother did to her when he was using her kitchen to cook.

"Hello," she introduced, "I'm Kagome." The girl in question looked up from her phone and debated for a moment about whether to answer her or not.

"Hi, I'm Rin. Are you one of the dinner guests?"

"Not really," Kagome stated relaxing into the seat, "Sango brought me over today. She said I needed to get out more. And you- I'm assuming you must be the cook's sister?" Rin's eyes widened comically but then the teenager narrowed her eyes.

"How did you know that?" She asked pulling out her phone again when it indicated that she had just received a new text message.

"My brother Souta is a professional chef as well. Anytime I visit him, or he visits me, I end up being kicked out of the kitchen all the time. You made the same face I do when I'm bored because of that." Rin giggled as she heard what Kagome said. She was glad to have a commonality between herself and this nice female who had come to her brother's dinners.

"What kind of restaurant does your brother own?" Rin asked casually.

"One that specializes in Osaka cuisine- Okonomiyaki, Yakitori, etc." Rin nodded and Miroku and Sango who finally tuned in were amazed at the level of friendliness between the two females in such a short amount of time. A sudden clearing of the throat sounded and all four from the living room turned to see the source of the noise- the cook himself.

Kagome had to admit that after seeing Rin she was quite surprised to see the man standing by the entrance to the dining room. Unlike Rin's black hair, this man's was white- a silvery hue that looked quite soft. He was tall in stature and lean indicating that this man worked out and ate well on a regular basis. She wasn't too surprised by this, after all he was a chef and he knew how to make good yet healthy balanced meals. She liked his choice of attire as well- a crisp dress shirt that was black and a pair of pants that matched it. She normally wasn't that big on matching colors but had to admit that it looked right on the man with his pale skin and silvery-white hair.

"Ah and the cook finally arrives." Miroku began taking the bag Sango had given him earlier. "This Sesshomaru is the selection of the wines that the lovely ladies picked out for this evening. What do you think Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru took the bag from his friends fingers cursing him silently for not having put them in a cooler earlier. He eyed an Australian Sauvignon and a California Chardonnay. Sango had made a great selection Sesshomaru thought taking note of the bottles and how it would complement the dinner he had made.

"Sango you made lovely wine choices for this meal." He remarked examining the Sauvignon before he uncorked it. Sango laughed as she replied.

"It wasn't me- Kagome made the choices- she's quite the wine connoisseur." Sesshomaru tipped his head to Kagome's in acknowledgment.

"Excellent choices then Kagome. Perhaps you will just have to keep making choices like this for future dinners." With that said, he turned back to the dining room and everyone followed.

Rin followed her brother into the kitchen and feeling awkward Kagome followed as well. The two girls were given plates and glasses which they took out. Miroku in the meantime worked on uncorking the Sauvignon after getting confirmation from Sesshomaru that this was to be the first wine course for dinner. Sango monitored him and made sure that he didn't pour any wine for Rin since the girl was underage. Soon after Sesshomaru brought the first course out and dinner began.

Kagome found dinner to be fun and entertaining. Sesshomaru and Miroku were apparently cousins through their mothers and the two had been quite close growing up. One day, Miroku had asked Sesshomaru if he could bring the girl he was befriending to dinner and the weekly meals had expanded. Now, almost four months after the first meal Sango had been invited to, Kagome was invited and the party grew even more. Rin was apparently an occasional guest. She lived with her parents but would during the week spend the night at her brothers since it was in a location closer to her high school. Kagome learned more about the host himself as well.

Sesshomaru's restaurant specialized in vegetarian and seafood cuisine- nothing beyond those were allowed in his restaurant kitchen. The restaurant was called Périgord and was named after Sesshomaru's favorite ingredient- the black truffle named Périgord from France. As the dinner wore on, he grew more in Kagome's eyes. He not only owned a lovely restaurant but cooked heavenly food and took in his teenage sister just because he could. She really couldn't say more and wondered not for the first time that night if Sango was trying to set her up with him. So far the man fit her type- he was caring, he knew good food, he seemed to be nice, and he dressed well. There was something to be said about that. Nonetheless she decided to brush it off and instead focused on dessert which she promptly decided was the best choice she'd ever made.

Dessert was a rich creamy vanilla bean rice pudding. The pudding was brown in color and was made of milk and sugar coupled with ground cardamom. The taste was divine. Kagome quickly realized that Sesshomaru had not used the vanilla bean in the final dish but rather had used it in the cooking process since the rich creamy taste was still there but it didn't overpower the tastebuds. She told him so and he was pleased if the slight upturn of his lips said anything.

"You are very astute Kagome. May I ask how you know so much about the culinary world when you are a fashion reporter?" Kagome flushed under the scrutiny she received but she answered nonetheless.

"My brother is a chef in Osaka- he owns the Hanshin Republic." Sesshomaru appraised this with a nod of his head. Kagome's brother was quite popular since he was known to be one of the foremost specialists in Osakan cuisine. "My father owned a bakery when I was growing up and my mother has all the makings of a culinary chef because of the years she spent honing her family recipes."

"I see, Souta Higurashi is your brother then. I highly respect him for the tradition he continues to uphold and popularize." Kagome nodded taking his praise in. She'd learned from Rin that the chef at the table was very particular about his cooking and that he rarely complimented other chefs unless they held up to his tastes. So for her brother to be recognized she knew it was important.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to pass on the compliments to my brother." Sesshomaru nodded slowly.

"See that you do Kagome."

When Kagome left dinner a little over an hour later it was with Miroku and Sango in tow. Miroku had offered to drive the two girls home because of the convenience of it all. When he assured them that it would not be a bother the two females agreed to go along with him. It was as Kagome was pulling on her jacket that Sesshomaru caught her attention.

"I would be pleased to extend you an invitation to next week's dinner if you are inclined to accept it." Kagome blinked up at him but then let out a slow smile.

"Then you will be happy to hear that I am most pleased to accept it."


	2. Giving his Consent

It was four months since the first time that Kagome had come over for dinner at Sesshomaru's. This time however things were different. Sango and Miroku had declined this invitation. The two had finally started going out and today was their one-month anniversary. Thus, it had technically left three at the table. However, a shy Rin had asked her brother if she could invite someone over. The young man, she explained, was Kohaku. She had met him at school and they were in the same homeroom together. Kohaku was also Sango's cousin. Sesshomaru was obviously annoyed by the shift in dynamic. The man liked to relax on his day off but today he wasn't allowed that. Instead, he was now fretting over this boy that Rin was brining over for dinner. Currently, Rin was at school still- she and Kohaku (and a few other students) were busy setting up for the School Festival that upcoming weekend. Kagome had just come in and sighed seeing his agitated state.

"Look, Kohaku is just a friend. Why are you so worried?" She finally asked unable to stand his agitation.

"You don't know Rin Kagome. She doesn't just bring people to meet family- she only brings special people. I don't know what to do about the fact that she's obviously bringing him here as potential boyfriend material." Kagome paled as she realized just what Rin had conned the two of them into.

"Oh, well what do you know so far about this boy?" Sesshomaru ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he pulled out pasta and began to boil it. Kagome had learned that this was his go to food when he was frustrated and didn't have anything nearby to calm him down. With pasta, he explained, he could do whatever he wanted as long as it was made with a good and tasty sauce. It allowed him to think, to create, and to just let go.

"All I know is that he is in Rin's homeroom, that he and Rin are in the same committee for the school festival, and that she respects him. What do I do Kagome? Am I supposed to quiz the boy?" And it was then that Kagome realized Sesshomaru finally understood that his sister had grown up.

"Oh, well I suppose you can. When I first brought a boyfriend home, Souta asked him a lot of questions. He asked the poor guy what his intentions were, what he wanted to do after high school, where he lived, what family he came from, etc. Does that help you any?" Sesshomaru sighed as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair before frowning. What he had just done was a big no no in his kitchen; he quickly turned on the faucet and washed his hands.

"I will ask him those questions then. Should I question his school activities?" Sesshomaru asked checking the pasta.

"That works. What are you making?" Sesshomaru eyed her cautiously before replying.

"A pasta with curry powder seasoned vegetables in a curry powder yogurt dressing. What do you think?" Kagome knew that curry powder was a lovely tool to have in a kitchen. She also knew that most professional cooks hated to use it with anything but Indian yogurt. And Indian yogurt wasn't exactly good dressing material.

"Be careful with the yogurt." She finally answered watching as he pulled out green peppers, onions, carrots, peas, and tomatoes from his refrigerator. He handed a few of them to her and she took them with a confused expression on her face. In all the time she had known Sesshomaru he had never let her touch anything or let her do anything in the kitchen. Was she allowed to finally do something in his untouchable kitchen?

"Do you mind chopping some vegetables? I'll do the onions and tomatoes- you could do the green pepper and the carrots." Kagome blinked at him before squealing and taking the vegetables he offered.

"I will! I promise to do good! How do you want them cut?" He gave her instructions and the two worked side by side while pasta finished cooking to al-dente. Once the pasta was ready, Sesshomaru drained it and left it to the side so that if could rest for a bit. He oiled a pan and added the vegetables letting them brown a bit before he added salt and some curry powder. He also added another spice and Kagome being ever curious asked what it was.

"Is that chili powder?" She asked curiously.

"No, it's Paprika. Indian food uses a brand of chili powder that is hard to find. I find however that combining some basic curry powder with paprika resembles the taste just a little."

"Ooh! Now I really want to try it!" Sesshomaru laughed but let her watch. When the vegetables were thoroughly coated in the curry powder, salt, and paprika mixture he added the pasta from earlier and let everything finish cooking for a minute. Finally, he turned to the dressing.

"Do you mind if I actually say no to the dressing? I find that it seems to be unneeded. Kagome shook her head- she personally was glad that there was no pasta dressing, the dish frankly didn't need it. Nodding, Sesshomaru began to prepare the endive salad he had made the first time he was here. It was soon after he finished preparing the salad that the door opened and Rin walked in flushed from the cold February wind. Behind her walked a teenage boy. He would probably be one of the cute guys in school Kagome realized looking at him; he had short hair that was cut in the style most school boys had with a light fringe falling across his face. He was tall and skinny but had an athletic background she realized noting the tennis racket hung over his shoulder.

"Kagome!" Rin greeted hoping that her friend would be able to ease the awkwardness soon to be present. "This is Kohaku. Kohaku, this is Kagome." Kohaku nodded greeting her and soon the three found themselves at the table where Sesshomaru was waiting with dinner.

"Sesshomaru, this is Kohaku!" Rin announced seeing her brother. "Kohaku, this is my older brother Sesshomaru." Kohaku was obviously flustered seeing Sesshomaru but he nonetheless greeted the older man and prayed that everything would turn out fine.

Everything did turn out fine. Sesshomaru was miffed but had to admit that Kohaku seemed to genuinely care for Rin and that Rin cared for him in turn. He would give his consent whenever it was asked. Kohaku was also a young man who had an ambitious life goal. He wanted to become a lawyer like his late Uncle- Sango's father. He wanted to help out with the criminal justice system wherever he could and since he wasn't as skilled in athletics as he wanted to be, he decided to go for law- he was after all captain of the debate team. And just to make things even better Kohaku was apparently also a member of the tennis team as well. It seemed the boy was all around perfect.

"So what did you think?" Kagome asked when they were finally alone. Kohaku had already left after thanking them for dinner and Rin had gone into her room to change and start her homework.

"I like him and I shall give them their consent." Kagome giggled and squeezed his arm briefly.

"There, now don't you feel better." He scoffed but had to admit she was partially right.


	3. A Special Invitation

February soon bled into April and Kagome found herself at a flower viewing party - a Hanami at the lcoal park with Sesshomaru, Rin, and Kohaku. Sesshomaru took two weeks off in his restaurant business. One was the first week of April- the week which generally held both Rin's and his late mother's birthdays, the other the first week of the year. As he took in the fragrance of cherry blossoms on his rare Tuesday night off, he turned to his right and stared at Kagome. She had become a constant companion to him and he found that he enjoyed cooking for her. Each new dish he presented and got her approval from was a challenge won. And each time she came to eat at his place it was enjoyable. Sesshomaru enjoyed cooking but the dishes he served at the restaurant were different from the ones he served at home. At home the food he made was special- it was made based on the ingredients and time he had on hand. It was also made with different people in mind. When he noticed Kagome shiver, he decided it was time for the special drink he'd brought with him , one that he had made with her in mind.

"Here." Kagome was surprised at the drink offered to her but took it nonetheless. She never declined anything that came from Sesshomaru. He was an amazing cook and she knew better than to turn an amazing offer like that down.

"What is it?" She asked taking a tentative sip. It tasted of chocolate and cinnamon- a warm combination for a slightly cool April night. It was lukewarm but the rich cinnamon taste was already warming her slightly chilled body.

"Hot chocolate with cinnamon powder. I noticed you liked the cinnamon tea I made last week so I thought this might be a nice drink to make." Kagome flushed, something that she found she was doing around Sesshomaru's presence lately. In the past six months she could say that she and Sesshomaru had become closer and that lately she found herself falling for him. It was just like her, she thought, coming from a family of cooks and falling in love with one.

"It's lovely. Thank you." A breeze blew through and some sakura petals floated down gently, one nearly landing in her cup. Kagome laughed and picked it up from where it dangled off the side. She was about to blow it to Sesshomaru when she stopped. He was looking at her with an intense expression on his face, one that she had only seen once or twice. It meant that he was deep in thought about something and that whatever he was thinking about was probably going to change an aspect of his lifestlye in some way.

"Kagome what are you doing Friday?" Kagome blinked before squeaking an answer out.

"I don't have anything planned yet. Why?"

"I want to have dinner with you, just you, on the first Friday night I've had off in a long time. Would you be willing to do that?"

Kagome felt the blood rush to her face and the rapid beating of her heart. Did he mean what she thought he meant? She thought about it quickly- Rin's two week holidays started Friday and she was going home to visit that afternoon. That meant that Sesshomaru would be alone with her for dinner. And he had asked her to make sure- didn't that make it a date?

"Are you asking me out on a date Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked carefully. She didn't want to get her hopes up but she wasn't necessarily crushing them either.

"Only if you are willing to make it so." Kagome smiled- in Sesshomaru's words that was as close to an affirmative as she was going to get.

"All right then. Do you want me to bring anything?"

"Just yourself, some of that Sauvignon you brought with you to that first dinner, and a change of clothes." Kagome balked at the last few words and turned questioning eyes to him.

"I'd rather not see you home late." He answered nonchalantly as his eyes narrowed. Kagome was wondering what that was about but she never got to ask since Rin and Kohaku had chosen that moment to return. What she failed to notice was Sesshomaru's pensive glances at her cup. Even for a man who knew his way around the kitchen finding the right spice for Friday night's dessert was going to be tricky.


	4. A Saffron Tainted Kiss

Kagome sat on a chair in Sesshomaru's dining room while he worked in the kitchen. She had all but been banned from the kitchen and was waiting patiently as he cooked. He had already made a pasta dish that was sitting in the oven and was now working on a dessert since his salad- the endive one that had quickly become Kagome's favorite was done as well. Whatever he was making was a concoction of sugar, milk, and a tiny bit of flour making a creamy pudding type mixture. He'd added cardamom powder and the vanilla extract too making Kagome wonder just what it was that Sesshomaru was making.

"Almost done Kagome. Why don't you set the table?"

Happy to finally be able to do something that night Kagome left to do her task missing Sesshomaru add the last spice to the dish. Saffron was known to be an aphrodisiac and he wasn't too confident in its seducing abilities but he was confident in its abilities to set the mood. All he knew was that no matter what happened tonight he and Kagome were going to be together today and the day after that and so on until the relationship either ran its course or became something different. Nonetheless he was still a little nervous.

"Are you ready?" Kagome asked a few minutes later after she'd set the plates. In her hand was the bottle of wine and a bottle opener. Sesshomaru turned the stove off and moved the kettle he was working with to a cooler burner before taking the wine and bottle opener from her hands.

"I'll take care of the wine, do you mind bringing the salad and pasta out?" Kagome shook her head before she placed the dishes on the table. In the meantime, Sesshomaru filled their wine and water glasses so that when Kagome brought the pasta out they were ready to dig in.

Dinner wasn't as awkward as Kagome feared it would be. Rather it was more like the dinners she was used to but with a more blatant appeal at flirting and one that she kind of liked. The pasta was wonderful and reminded her of the pasta that Sesshomaru had made at the dinner with Kohaku. When she asked him about it, she was told that it was the same recipe with a few tweaks. Kagome quickly realized that the recipes he'd so far used today were ones that she liked quite a bit. The attentiveness appealed to her and she felt appreciated by it. After they finished the main course Sesshomaru left to get dessert ready. He emerged from the kitchen with two glass bowls of creamy liquid and set one in front of her.

"Dessert- a milky rice pudding infused with cardamom and saffron." Kagome noticed the tweaks of red saffron spices peeking out from the dish. It seemed Sesshomaru hadn't left the saffron to melt into the dish but rather had let it mix in. Seeing him wait for her reaction, Kagome took a spoonful and swooned. It was milky but tasted like cream and was melting on her tongue immediately. She looked up at him with a smile.

"Sit, if you don't I might be tempted to steal your bowl too." Laughing Sesshomaru did as he was told.

Later as Kagome worked on washing the dishes she felt a presence behind her. Before she could be startled Sesshomaru whispered to her and placed his arms around her waist. At first, Kagome was a little stiff but soon the relaxing presence of Sesshomaru's warmth on her back allowed her to enjoy washing the dishes. It felt right to be where she was right now, she thought, putting the last dish away in the dish rack; she wouldn't mind doing this again in the future. Sesshomaru's arms loosened and she slipped out to dry her hands before approaching him again where he was still standing by the sink. When she got there she threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a kiss. He responded quickly but pulled away shortly thereafter.

"Kagome, before we go on, what do you want to happen tonight?" Sesshomaru didn't want to rush things but he also didn't want to push her away. He'd rather have Kagome try to set the pace of their relationship since she knew best what was okay physically.

"Whatever happens Sesshomaru, is something that we both want." Kagome answered slowly. "We're both sober since we only had that one glass of wine and we both obviously care for each other. If I wake up next to you tomorrow morning it's because we both wanted things to be that way. It will change things but only in the sense that I'll be yours now. Is that okay with you?" After her quick monologue Kagome wasn't sure about what to say anymore.

"Yes." And with that said Sesshomaru seized Kagome's lips again in a kiss.


	5. A New Family

Kagome giggled with Rin and Souta's fiancé Hitomi in her mother's dining room as her brother and Sesshomaru once again fought in the kitchen. It was New Years' Eve and Sesshomaru and Souta- the regular cooks- were often found in the kitchen cooking something to supplement her mother's oden. It was funny really how much they fought over the simplest things. Really, she couldn't see why Souta's Takoyaki balls couldn't be substituted for meatballs in Sesshomaru's spaghetti.

"Boys!" Her mother scolded for the umpteenth time. "How many times have I told you to work together? And really Sesshomaru, you need to work on your stubbornness. How are you ever going to handle your children if you do that!" Mrs. Higurashi's statement was a clear reference to Kagome's pregnant status. The young woman had only recently announced her pregnancy to her family- she was four months in but had hid if for the first two- and she blushed at her mother's statement.

"Mom! I'm your son!" Souta complained with a childish pout. Hitomi scoffed and shook her head. Souta was really childish sometimes. Mrs. Higurashi however didn't take the comment so easily. She rounded on her son once more.

"Souta Higurashi! How dare you, Sesshomaru has been a part of this family for three years- longer if you think about it sometimes! You will not disrespect him in my kitchen or my house!" Souta flushed but apologized quickly. Sesshomaru calmly diffused the situation by placing a hand on his mother-in law's arm.

"Why don't you take a rest Mrs. Higurashi?" He stated shooting a look to his wife. "Souta was just joking; you know that we consider each other as brothers."

Mrs. Higurashi did as she was told sighing as she left the kitchen to go take a seat in the living room with Mrs. Taisho and help the other woman in carefully putting Christmas decorations away. The joint families had spent Christmas and New Years at the Higurashi household since it was much more interesting to celebrate there. Plus, with Kagome's pregnant status, Sesshomaru was being extra careful and her mother was able to help her with advice and tips leaving him to relax when he knew that she was in safe hands. He left the kitchen shortly after his mother-in law left and came to embrace his wife.

"You should rest too Kagome, you need to take care of yourself." Kagome sighed but nodded knowing that her husband wouldn't budge until otherwise. She did have to agree though that he had a point. Sometimes she wondered how she was so lucky to have met him five years ago through that fateful dinner.

"Here, take this- I know Souta will let you use it because he knows it's the one spice that I can stomach eating right now. I'll go help mama okay?" Sesshomaru nodded, taking the oregano bundle she handed him and kissing her on the temple before letting her go.

Hours later as the two settled into bed, Kagome looked at her reflection in the bedroom mirror. She was showing a little and there were slight changes in her body- a different glow to her skin, a lustrous shine to her hair, and a lovely fullness to her body. As she admired her changes, a pair of arms slid around her body. She slowly relaxed into them and had a good look at the new reflection in the mirror. Her back was pressed to Sesshomaru's naked torso and the picture they created was enthralling. There was something oddly artistic and surreal about the way they looked in the mirror, it looked protective and loving and she wanted to capture that moment and store it forever. Sesshomaru's hands caressed her swollen stomach with a light caress and she clenched his fingers stopping them from continuing what they were doing.

"Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked slowly noticing her tense up. He took his left hand and gently rubbed her arm trying to figure out what made her nervous.

"I love you." Kagome stated suddenly before squeezing the hand that she held. "We both love you." Sesshomaru hitched a breath as her words sparked a fire somewhere in his heart. He slowly turned Kagome around and kneeled down before placing a gentle kiss on her stomach- the stomach that held their child.

"And I love the two of you more each and every day." The smile he received in return for that statement made the statement worth it. Unable to help himself, he stood up and kissed Kagome. She eagerly responded and he smiled as he thought about the wonders his life brought him and the happiness he had with it. It was something that he was glad for and that he wanted to have forever.


End file.
